Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev Secured By Showtime

By Keith Idec

Showtime announced Thursday afternoon it will televise the Anthony Joshua-Kubrat Pulev fight live October 28 from Cardiff, Wales.

The British superstar has as a multi-fight agreement with Showtime, but it allows Joshua’s promoter, Matchroom Sport’s Eddie Hearn, to shop his fights to other American television outlets, namely HBO. Joshua’s fights typically air on pay-per-view in the United Kingdom (Sky Sports Box Office).

Showtime will televise Joshua-Pulev live late in the afternoon October 28 and on delay later that night.

Showtime aired Joshua’s career-changing last fight, an incredible, 11th-round knockout of former champion Wladimir Klitschko, live on the network April 29. HBO broadcast the memorable battle on delay that night.

Both boxers were knocked down during that fight, which drew a capacity crowd of roughly 90,000 fans to London’s Wembley Stadium. More than 70,000 tickets already have been sold to the lower-profile Joshua-Pulev bout, which will take place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

The 6-feet-6, 250-pound Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs) had hoped to face Klitschko (64-5, 53 KOs) in a rematch November 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but the 41-year-old Klitschko opted to retire. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist instead will make a mandatory defense of his IBF title against the 6-feet-4, 230-pound Pulev (25-1, 13 KOs), who has lost only to Klitschko.

“There’s so much to be excited about in the sport of boxing, and it all comes to a fever pitch on consecutive Saturdays this fall on Showtime,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Showtime Sports. “This has been a great year for boxing. More specifically, it has been a great year for Showtime boxing. There’s no better way to end it than with two major heavyweight world championship events. We are proud to be in business with the two biggest punchers in the sport, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, and the rest of the talented and hungry heavyweight challengers of today.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.

[QUOTE=NahMean;18075845]Wilder vs Ortiz is only a week after AJ vs Pulev.. I see showtime heavily promoting the clash between the winners of both of these fights. I hope showtime does give him anther contract. But HBO have spoke very highly…

[QUOTE=BWC;18075778]This was the last one. Showtime had the option on this fight and obviously exercised it. However there's really no reason to believe Showtime won't lock up AJ long-term ASAP.[/QUOTE]
Wilder vs Ortiz is only a week after AJ vs…

[QUOTE=NahMean;18075707]So AJ's multi fight contract has ended with showtime?[/QUOTE]
This was the last one. Showtime had the option on this fight and obviously exercised it. However there's really no reason to believe Showtime won't lock up AJ long-term ASAP.